The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-03-10

tinguished leaders, about whose hearthstonea
are entwined the laurel and ivy Of lasting
remembrance, need no costly monument or
glowing eulogy to perpetuate their fame.
The history of their lives and actions will be
read as long and as widely as though we
Could write their names on every star that shinefI
Engrave their story on the living sky,
To be forever read by every eye.
Under the flag of the Union to-day Goata
the flag of Democracy, and shall still float
for years to come, IL we hold fast to those
principles which kept life within us as
party when scarcely single state owned our
sway.
WHY THE STATE Is NOT REAPPoRTIoNED.
For the past five years the Democracy has
carried the Empire state at each annual cleo
tion, our majorities varying from 100 to
$4,000. Cheers and long continued ap-
plause.) That, upon full and fair vote, with
no false or misleading issues in the canvass,
New York is Democratic, must be conceded
by every intelligent political observer. Jap
plause.) Yet our opponents are able TO keep
control of the legislature by refusing to make
a reapportionmont required by the constitu-
tion. (Applause.) They maintain their
power, not by superior political wisdom, not
because of better legislation, not by honor
able political methods, but by shameless
disregard Of sacred constitutional obli-
cations. (Applause.) For years this solemn
duty has been neglected and its performance
refused because they, as well as we, know
that just and proper enumeration of the In
habitants, followed by fair and honest re-
apportioment of the senate and assembly dis
tricts of the state, would give to our party
the control of the legislative branch Of the
government. (Applause) They know as
well as we the significance Of the figures Of
the last census of 1880 and what they por-
tend. Those figures show in eleven Republi-
can counties, taken together, an actual net
loss in population, and that in the great
Democratic counties of New York, Kings
and Albany there was an increase in popu-
lation over double that of all the rest Of the
ifty-seven counties of the state put together
(Applause.) They keenly appreciate as well
as we what is indicated for the future by this
dwarf1ng, contracting and dwindling of the
population in Republican localities, undoubt-
edly caused by the miasma emitted from bad
views and principles, when contrasted with
the healthy increase and prosperity that
characterize the growth Of Democratic coun-
ties. The efforts of our opponents 70 retain
their power against the wishes of the people
by their undisguised violation of the organic
law of the state furnishes an exhibition of
the tremendous desperation that character
ICES the last struggle of desperate party.
HOW REPUBLICANS HOLD SUPREMACY.
Not alone in this state, but in other states,
do our honorable opponents maintain their
| supremacy by questionable means, and by a
system of "rotten borough" repr esentation
more odious and unjust than that which ex-
listed in Great Britain years ago, and which
was destroyed by the passage of the Reform
! act of 1882, after heroic struggle of sixteen
| years. (Applause) In Connecticut the can.
| didate for governor who receives the great
est number of votes is not permitted to hold
the Office, but the legislature elects the gov
ernor unless such candidate has a majority
over all (Applause.) To-day, if no such
updemocratic and improper rule prevailed,
that state would have Democratic governor,
because last fall the greatest number of votes
was cast for the Democratic candidate. But
the Republican legislature, with cool effront-
cry, selected the minority Republican can
didate, who now fills that office.
But that is not the worst of it, The legis-
lature itself does not fairly represent the peo-
| 2le, but a monstrous system of representa-
don prevails whereby certain small towns
sasting few hundred votes have as much
| representation in the legislature as cities
which cast thousands of votes like Hartford
and New Haven There is no pretense Of
the existence Of any equitable OF fair method
| Of representation. Its injustice admits Of
no explanation or excuse, and if it did not
| prevail Connecticut to-day would have a
| Democratic legislature and two Democratic
| senators to honestly represent her in the
United States senate. (Applause.) Sub
stantially the same injustice prevails in New
| Hampshire where the legislature under the
! same circumstances elects governor usually
not the choice Of the people nor the one for
whom the greatest number of their votes are
cast. In Rhode Island-ironclad and rock
ribbed Republican Rhode Island-their party
advantage is maintained by actually dis
franchising every foreign born citizen un-
less he is a freeholder. 1t is the only state
in the Union wherein a property qualifca-
tion is required of its electors The Repub-
lican control of the next United States sem
ate is maintained by the vote of the two
senator's from the state of Nevada, state
which is actually decreasing in population,
and which can only muster, according to the
last enumeration, 5000 inhabitants, which
is less than the population Of each of nine
teen counties of this state, and less than that
contained in every assem- bly, district in this
city.
HONOR DEcENCY AND FAIR PLAY VIOLATED.
These are startling figures, but they are in
keeping with the present apportionment in
this state, wherein some Democratic sena-
torial and assembly districts contain almost
twice as much population as Republican dis
tricts. All sense Of honor, decency and fair
play is violated in the maintenance of politi-
cal power by such methods An elector in
St Lawrence or Allegheny county should
count as much as an elector in New York or
Brooklyn, and no more. (Applause) There
should be absolute Equality in man, so far
as basis for representation is concerned.
There is apparent a necessity for change in
our system of popular representation every.
where In the language Of that memorable
platform Of 1875, 'refornn is necessary" tC
protect and preserve the rights Of majorities
from misconduct, frauds and crimes of min
critics intrenched in power. We have not